Oral Corticosteroids During Pregnancy: A Nationwide Study Reassures on Gestational Diabetes Risk

MedXY Editorial Team•Jan 1, 2026•Internal Medicine

A nationwide study of over 1.3 million pregnancies found no overall increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) associated with oral corticosteroid (OCS) use.
The pooled weighted risk ratio (RR) for OCS exposure was 1.01 (95% CI, 0.99-1.03), indicating statistical non-significance for the broad duration of pregnancy.
A modest, statistically significant increase in risk was identified specifically for exposure between 4 and 6 weeks’ gestation (RR 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.17).
Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the risk profile remained consistent regardless of maternal age, steroid dosage, duration of treatment, or the specific clinical indication for the medication.

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This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

A nationwide study of over 1.3 million pregnancies found no overall increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) associated with oral corticosteroid (OCS) use.
The pooled weighted risk ratio (RR) for OCS exposure was 1.01 (95% CI, 0.99-1.03), indicating statistical non-significance for the broad duration of pregnancy.
A modest, statistically significant increase in risk was identified specifically for exposure between 4 and 6 weeks’ gestation (RR 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.17).
Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the risk profile remained consistent regardless of maternal age, steroid dosage, duration of treatment, or the specific clinical indication for the medication.